The Improving Outcomes in Transplantation theme continues to elucidate the mechanisms involved in determining cell fate. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) rely on Activin-Nodal signalling to maintain their pluripotency, but Activin-Nodal signalling is also known to induce mesendoderm differentiation. Work supported by the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and the Medical Research Council has identified the mechanisms by which Activin-Nodal signalling acts through SIP1 to regulate the cell-fate decision between neuroectoderm and mesendoderm in the progression from pluripotency to primary germ layer differentiation.
Section:
Transplantation
